"Nutrition Education Project Successful in Second Year"

In November 2002, Third-Year IU Family Practice Resident, Vipin Jain, M.D., initiated an innovative nutrition education project. This project was to benefit the tribal communities of the Madhya Pradesh state within India. Dr. Jain employed an anthropologic-based model of nutritional education to enhance local nutritional empowerment by using regionally grown resources such a soybean and drumstick leaves. In its second year, the program not only is continuing but has improved.

According to A.K. Tiwari, B.Sc., M.B.B.S., M.S., Medical Officer at the Ataheda Primary Health Center in Depalpur, "The nutrition education project that was initiated last year has been going on very successfully. Many malnutrition prevention-related activities were organized by the community volunteers themselves throughout the year. We are noticing improvement in nutritional status among children and pregnant females. Arm fold thickness has improved significantly among children between 0-5 years of age and Soya bean consumption for family food has improved among the local community." Dr. Tiwari also states that, "the local community is eager to continue their partnership in this Nutrition Empowerment program. My primary health center is extremely pleased with the progress made in this community-oriented nutrition project using local resources."

Upon graduating from the IU Family Practice Residency program, Dr. Jain was named Medical Director of the Madison County (Indiana) Community Health Center, Inc. For more information, please email iufammed@iupui.edu.

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